Concentrator



Oct. 18, 1932. M. 'J. KERMER 1,383,378

CONCENTRATOR Filed Aug. 20, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 18, 1932.

M. J. KERMER CONCENTRATOR Filed Aug. 20, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct.- 18," 1932 Mann? 3. KERMER, or snynnn, NEWYORK, ASSIGNOREDO murrnno'revmm -& v MACHINE COMPANY, "on BU'ErA-Lo; 'NEW rony, A conronnmmn or NEW YORK I concnn'rna'roia w 7 Application ine August 20; .1939. Serial m 476533.

llhis invention relates to a concentrator which .is more particularly intended for'eva porating or boiling solid containing liquor to a high density such ascaustic soda, calcium chloride etc. Such liquors arejusually con centra'ted from 50% to 85% andto accomplish this within areasonablejtime the material is subject to comparativelyhigh pressure While beingfconcentratedg V i."

c The apparatus heretof re proposed .for this purpose, was of such construction that it was very diflicultand' expensive to pro duce a tight fit between the several parts forming the inlet and outlet manifolds for cleaning, inspection and repairing ofthe heat ng tubes, and the construction was also such that, only a comparatively jlow 'pressure' which permits of inspecting, repairingand adjustingtheheating :tubes' upon removal or" comparatively few parts. In the accompanying drawings: t Fig. 1 is a vertical section ofa concen trator embodying a satisfactory form of my invention. igsi'Q-an'd 3 are horizontal sections'taken on the correspondingly numbered lines of Fig. 1 and looking in the direetion'of the arrows associated with theselines. I Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical 'section,-on an enlarged scale, of "one I of the improved tu'be units showing the manner of inoiinting the same in accordance with this invention.

5 is asimilarview showing the ner, ofmounting a tube unit in common use heretofore. 4 d

ge e, Fig.4;

each ha the 'heating'medium and also required gthef removal of an undue number of parts when. accesswas necessary to, the apparatus for Fig. 6 is ailior izontal section taken lonline is c -n the follow several figures of the drawings.

description; similar char e actors of reference indicate like parts 1n the f tor coinprisesa concentrating chamber adapt? ed to contain the liquor to be concentrated, a

"in j the concentrating chamber and I V, pig-s inlet foiithe heating medium and an outletfor'the condensate of said heat ing'niedium, a plurality of special'l heating tube units arranged; in, the "concentrating chamberfand :ea'ch' havingean inlet ion-the ranged heating, medium, and fan outlet for'fthe conde s 'te of said hea i g dium; n: iililef manifoldflor chamber adapted, to distribl'ite plurality of-plain heating tube unitsarthe heating. medium tothe; inlets o'f thesevera'l Ltube units; andrj-an outlet manifold: or

iehaniber adapted to receive the e condensate froiii' the outlet of the several tube {and discharge the same from the apparatus j The concentrating chamber 10 may be variously constructed but :as shown in draw; in'gs, the same, comprises an' upri ht :cylindrical sidewall 11 of sheet meta asheet metal dome 12 connected. with the upper end of the sidewall and having a central outlet 13for the vapon of the liquor whieh is be'irig boiled, said outlet leadingto the atmosphere or to a condenser or exhausting devicepo'f suitable l ch 'aracter if itis desired to form a partial vacuum in saidconcentratingchamber, andFa bottom preferably ofcast iron and consisting of an upper marginal horizontal tube sheet or ring l4-;provided at its outer edge Withan annularupstanding flange 9 socured tothe lower/edgeofthe side wall 11 and provided at its inner edge'with a downward:

sly, tapering dischargespout 15 which has an outlet 16 at its lowerend for the finished material which; outlet may be controlled by a valvepor c'lesure io f anyapproved cons'tru'c- "tion. 1 Thefliquoif'to be-conc'entrated may be supplied to the concentrating chamberiniany suitable manner for example by a supply pipe 17 connecting with the lower end of the concentrating chamber, as shown "in'FigQ l,

ed at On its exterior the'spou't 15 is provi a distance from its upper end with an upper annular flange 18 and further down on the exterior of said spout the same is provided with a lower annular flange 19. Arranged below the marginal ring of the bottom of the concentrating chamber and spaced outwardly from the discharge spout 15 is an annular manifold wall which is connected by screws 20 or otherwise with the underside of the bottom ring 14 and consists of an upper wall section 21 of comparatively small diameter and alower wall section 22 of relatively larger diameter, thereby forming an internal annular downwardly facing shoulder 23 on this wall between its upper and lower sections. This shoulder 'is horizontally in line with the underside of the upper flange 18 of the discharge spout 15 and the lower edge of this wall is horizontally in line with the underside of the lower flange 19 of said spout, as shown in Fig. 1. 7

Between the central part ofthe manifold wall and the discharge spout is arranged an intermediate partition ring or lower tube sheet 24 which latter is secured at its inner i edge to'the underside of the spout flange 18 by screws 25 and also secured at its outer'edge to the underside of the shoulder 23 of the manifold wall by screws 26, thereby forming, with the wall section21, the upper part of the spout 15 and the bottom ring 14 of the concentrating chamber, an annular outlet manifold chamber 27 into which the outlets of the heating tube units open for receiving the condensate therefrom and from which this condensate is discharged by a pipe 28 connected with the upper section of the mani-" fold wall.

Surrounding the intermediate part of the discharge spout is a lower closure ring or annular cover 29 which is secured at its inner edge tothe underside of the flange 19 by screws 30 and also secured at its outer edge to the lower edge of the manifold wall by screws 31, thereby forming, with the adja- 1 cent part of the spout, the lower tube sheet or ring 24 and the lower section 22 of the manifold wall,'an annular inlet manifold chamber 32which distributes the steam to the inlets of the several heating tube units.

'This steam for heating is supplied to this inlet manifold by a pipe 33 connected with the lower section 22 of the manifold wall, or

by any other suitable means. 7

Within the lower part of the concentrating chamber is arranged a downtake tube 34 which is spaced from the side wall of this 7 chamber by anannular uptake passage 35,

said downtake tube communicating at its upper end with the upper part of the concen-,

trating chamber and also communicating at mounted type are interspersed with the plain type for the purpose of attaining the objects of this invention.

Each of the plain heating tube units includes an upright inner inlet tube 38 which has its lower end secured in an opening 39 in the lower tube sheet 24 and communicating with the inlet manifold chamber 32 while its intermediate part passes loosely through a condensate outlet opening 40 in the upper tube sheet 14 and terminates at its upper end adjacent to the upper end of the downtake tube 34. The upper part of the outlet opening 40 is counterbored and in the sameis secured an externally screw threaded coupling nipple 41 which projects above the upper tube sheet and has its bore of larger diameter than the external'diameter of the respective inlet tube 38 so as to leave an outlet passage 42 between them for the escape ofthe water of condensation when usmg steam as the heating agent in the concentrator. Surrounding the upper part of the inlet tube 38 within the concentrating chamber is an outer tube 43' of larger diameter so as to leave an annular space 44 therebetween which outer tube has a closed top 45 and connected at its lower end by a screw joint with the upper end of the coupling nipple and also bears at its lower end against a packing 46 on the upper tube sheet so as to form a tight joint therewith, as shown in Fig. 5. The steam passes from the inlet manifold upwardly through the inner tube 38 of each plain heating tube unit, thence downwardly through the space between the inner and outer tubes 38, 43, so as to heat the liquor in the concentrating chamber, thence through the passage 42 in the nipple 41 and the opening 40 in the upper tube sheet and thence into the outlet manifold 27 and out through the discharge pipe 28 thereof.

Each of the specialheating tube units is constructed and mounted as follows, and as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6: The numeral 47 represents an upright inner inlet tube which has its lower part passing through the lower tube sheet 24 and its intermediate part passing through the upper tube sheet and terminating at its upper end adjacent to the upper edge of the downtake tube 34. Surroundingthe lower part of the inlet tube is a draft-tube 48 of larger diameter than the inner tube 47 so as to leave an annular drain passage 49 therebetween said draft tube also ently appear.

assasrs I v 3 passing with its lower part through the lower tube sheet 24 and extending with its upper part into the upper tube sheet 14. The lower end of the draft tube is screwed into a tubu- 5 lar screw nut 50 which bears against the underside of the tube sheet 24 and the lower end of the inlet tube 47 is also screwed into this tubular nut 50 and communicates with the inlet manifold chamber 32.

The upper end of the draft tube 48 is ar ranged within an opening 51 in the upper tube sheet 14 and is provided with an enlargement or head 52 forming a downwardly facing shoulder 53 on the draft tube which engages with an upwardly facing shoulder ing the upper part of the latter, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper and lower tube sheets '14, 24 are braced relative to eachother and held in a definite spaced position by spacing sleeves 55 each ofwhich surroundsone of the draft tubes 48 but is preferably of somewhat larger diameter so as to leave an annular space 56v therebetween, and each of these spacing sleeves engaging its lower end with a countersunkseat 57 on the upper side of the lower tube sheet and engaging its up- I per end with a countersunk seat 58 on the underside of the upper 'tubesheet, as shown in Fig. 4. Upon tightening the screw nut the draft tube 48 acts like a screw bolt and causes the upper and lower tube sheets to be firmly drawn against the opposite ends of the spacing sleeve, thereby producing a 35 very strong construction which is capable of withstanding high steam pressures and thus enabling a higher density in the liquor to be obtained than would otherwise be possible. The draft tube 48 and the spacing sleeve are provided,-respectively, adjacent to the upper side'of the lower tube sheet24 with drain openings 59, 60to permit the condensaterof the steam to escape therefrom into the outlet manifold chamber as will pres- The numeral 61' represents an externally screw threaded coupling nipple which is'secured with its lower end in the enlarged upper part of the tube-opening 51 in the upper tube sheet and a bore of larger diameterthan the exterior of the respective inlet tube 47 so as to leave a passage 62 between the same.

Surrounding the upper part of the inner tube is an outer or outlet tube 63 of larger 55 diameter forming a down passage 64 between the same, which outer tube has a closed top 65 and has its lower end connected'by a screw joint with the upper end of the respective nipple 61 and engagingwith a packing 66 on the upper'side ofthe upper tube sheets as to form a tight'joint betweenthe same. The steam entering the inlet manifold 32 passes from the latter upwardly through the inner tube 48, thence downward 55 ly through the outer tube 63 and heats the liquor in coutactwith the :latter, then passes successively through the nipple 611, the draft tube 4'8-a-nd i-tsopening 5-9, the spacing sleeve 55 and its: openingbO, and the outlet" manifold chamber27- to the discharge pipe 28.

Due to this construction a muchhigher steam pressure can be used in the apparatus, a more'raprd concentration 1s effected and the liquor can be concentrated'to a higher density, this being due to the means of mounting the special tubes which'imparts added strength tothe tube sheets and holds the same reliably "in place so-as to maintain'leak-tight Moreover, by constructing the manifold chambersin the manner shown and described the tubes are easy of access whenrequired,

the same are capable of withsta-nding high pressure "without becoming distorted'andv leaking at the joints and it is possible to ma chine the partsand assemble the same so as to produce a good-fit without incurring undue expense or requiring ahi'gh degree of ac 'centrating chamber having at its lower end an annular upper tube sheet and a downwardpart of said upper tube sheet and provided joints between the heating-tubes and-the tube 1 sheets and the parts associated therewith; 54 formed in the opening 51 by counterbor- I 1y projecting spout arranged on the central externally with upper. and lower flanges, a

manifold wallsurrounding'said spout and connected at its upper edge with said upper tube sheet and provided internally with a downwardly facing shoulder which is arranged in line with said upper'fiange and .havmg its lower end arranged in line with said lower flange, an annular lower tube sheet having its 1nner edge secured to the underside of sald upper flange and its outer edge secured to the underside of said shoulder and forming with said spout, wall and upper tube sheet an upper manifold chamber, an annular cover secured at its 1nner edge to the underside of said lower flange and at its outer edge to the lower edge of said walland forming with said spout, wall and lower tube sheet a lower manifold chamber, and heating tube units each having an inlet commum catingwith one of said chambers and anoutlet communicating with the 'othenchamber, the opening closed by said cover being larger than the opening closed by said lower tube sheet so that the latter can be removed through said opening which is closed by said cover.

2. A liquor concentrator comprising a concentrating chamber having at its lower end an upper tube sheet, an upper manifold cham ber arranged below said upper tube sheet and having a lower tube sheet, a lower manifold chamber arranged. below the upper manifold chamber and having at its lower end a cover, a heating tube unit including an inner tube having its lower part extending through said lower tube sheet and an outer tube arranged within the concentrating chamber and surrounding the upper part of said inner tube, a screw nipple surrounding said inner tube and connecting the outer tube with said upper tube sheet, a draft bolt having a tubular body surrounding said inner tube, an upper head bearing downwardly against said upper tube sheet and a lower tubular nut bearing upwardly against said lower tube sheet, said tubular nut also supporting the inner tube at its lower end, and

a tubular spacer surrounding the tubular bolt and said tubular spacer engaging its upper and lower ends with said upper and lower tube sheets, respectively, said inner tube communicating with said lower manifold chamber, and said tubular bolt and spacer having side openings for placing the nipple .and outer tube in communication with said upper manifold chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereby afi'ix my signature.

MARTIN J. KERMER. 

